Legality and Brotherhood. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8

Introduction

Good morning church. And thank you for joining us in worship this morning as we make much of Jesus in singing, study, fellowship, and now in our time in the word this morning.

Please turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 6 this morning, and as you are turning there, I want to tell you a story of the first time I got to official a church softball game. In our association in Owensville, we had a lot of small churches and a couple big ones but when it came to the softball league, our church had enough for 2 teams. So the game finally came where team one played team two. The two captains of those teams were John and Tom, and the week leading up to the game was a lot of jawing between the two of them back and forth. The day came and I can’t remember why I was there but I was asked to be the ump for the game.

Tom got up, his first at bat and used his softball bat that apparently cost more than my first 3 cars did together to pound a homer over the left field wall. It was at this time that he decided nobody should use his bat because of the power it had and the potential liability it could cause to a third-baseman if you lined it right to them.

However, up until that point in the game, everyone had shared all the equipment with some people on opposite teams sharing gloves with no big deal.

The inning switched over and John, unaware of Tom’s rule that he “dadded” over everyone picked up the bat and hammered out another home-run. Tom came off the mound yelling and screaming at John for not listening and the two got in an argument that rivaled some of the finest squabbles I've seen at middle schools. John, unable to fully believe how irate Tom was being popped up, “Geeze Tom, do you wanna go out to the parking lot and setting this?” joking tongue in cheek, but Tom was ready to throw down right there for this offence. It took them 10 minutes to calm down enough to play again and from then on the rest of the game was nothing but complaining and whining about the rules.

2 things happened that day. 1. I never umped a softball game again. 2. I lost all respect for Tom when he decided to treat his friend that way. And it was not just me, many decided that if that was the way this was going to go, they weren’t going to be apart of it again. The softball teams ended that year.

Tension

The truth is that disagreements happen to everyone and they happen in the church as well. Christians can even get at cross purposes and as usual, the Bible has some things to teach us about how we should handle those situations when they do arise.

Our passage is found in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 today and you’ll remember that Paul is in the midst of his relational discourse to the struggling church there. They are all sideways on how they are to live their relationships with others as a means of serving the Lord. They look more like the world around them than they do like what Christ commands and Paul means to course correct them. So let’s pick up in chapter 6 this morning.

Truth

1 Corinthians 6:1–8 (ESV)

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,

6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

Pray

Exposition

Remembering that one of our side goals for this year in our time in 1 Corinthians is to use it as a way to help us learn to teach budding disciples and new converts to learn, own, and do what the Word of God says. In essence, to learn to apply the Word to their lives. Today’s passage might seem straight forward, and it is, but it also weaves in and out of subjects that all require us to handle them differently. You will see what I mean in a minute but what I am saying is that even hidden within simple and straight forward messages there are also these nuggets of doctrine and theology that we can unearth and add to the pile of things we need to talk about. So let’s get started.

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

Verse 1 gives us a couple insights into what the problem is, how the problem has been mishandled, and how it should be rightly handled. A pretty successful summary if you ask me.

First, you can see that Paul says “when” not “if”, here. He is not saying if grievances pop up in the church between brothers and sisters in Christ, but when. Sometimes people think that if there are disagreements or we see things differently that is evidence that something is wrong with the church or with us. That is not always the case. Anytime you get 2 Baptists in a room you’ll have 3 opinions about how something should be handled. Seeing things from different perspectives is not a problem but a boon for us. Different perspectives can and often do, yield better solutions when we can come together to solve a problem. However, the church wasn’t having it.

Secondly, how they were handling it was to drag their disagreements into the pagan court system. A brother in Christ was dragging his other brother in Christ into the courts to sue him. Trivial things such as breach of contract, damages, fraud and minor injuries, matters of cival law. Paul says “tol-mae-o” “dare he” or “you have the audacity” to drag your brother into a pagan and ungodly court system for such simple matters? What are you thinking.

Thirdly, Paul alludes to a better solution that should be understood and employed in situations like this. You should bring those matters, as brothers, before other believers, saints in the faith, and they can render you a sound and God honoring judgment.

Contained here is a practice and that practice is easy to see and understand, and even to teach to those we are making disciples. “When we encounter disagreements and division in the church, don’t drag your brothers into the courts, sullying them and yourself, but instead seek to mediate things as brothers.” Okay, deal. But, also notice the reasoning behind the simple practice that informs Paul’s words here.

You are brothers dang-it. The unity and love that you have in Christ is supposed to your most important relational goal. Two men, devoted to and living out sacrifice and love in the name of Jesus, devoted to worshiping him in their lives and as they walk, should be able to figure out such trivial things. Your fellowship is rotten and its indicative of deeper problems.

It is important, often times when we are talking with and listening to those we mentor in the faith to hear what they are saying and what is behind what they are saying. Sometimes, they show us hints of a deeper problem that we must get too in order to see the whole thing fixed. Paul continues on in verse two, seeking to help them have proper theological understanding of why he suggests such practices...

2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases?

3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

Verses 2 and 3 tell us a couple things: 1. The saints (that is the church) will stand in judgment over the the world. 2. The saints will stand in judgment over angels.

“What? I thought God was the one who is allowed to judge the world and we are too stand in judgment over one another, holding each other accountable to the word of God?”

Let’s unpack this.

First, Paul’s inclusion of the future tense, will judge, gives us insight into the ultimate fulfilment of these words. There will be future judgment, when the church will stand over the world. Romans 2:2-12 gives us insight.

Romans 2:2–6(ESV)

2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.

3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

6 He will render to each one according to his works:

Secondly, we also are told that we will sit in this same capacity over angels as well.

Jude 6:1 illuminates a bit more

Jude 6 (ESV)

6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—

So, as I said at the beginning, two nuggets that get thrown into our theological and doctrinal buckets for safe keeping. One of the future tasks of the church is to set in judgement, under the authority of God’s word, over those who chose to not follow it. We can now add that to our eschatological folder as we consider Christ’s return. Those of bonus bits that are thrown in like finding bacon in your salad and they help us understand not just this passage, but also mold our vision of what God is going to do with and through us in the future. All scripture touches and those interactions help us get the full picture. cool right?

But, lets pack this back into today’s context. What is Paul getting at? Dr. Alan John puts it this way.

Here Paul presents his theological bases for addressing the problem. Good theology is essential to right conduct, although good theology alone is not enough to ensure proper behavior. There must be also moral courage to act on the knowledge one has. Courage is a character trait learned through imitation of Jesus and Paul. That the saints will judge the world and angels provides the theological basis for Paul’s argument from the greater to the lesser: if you are qualified to judge the world, including serious and heavy matters involving heavenly angels, why would you think yourselves incompetent to judge trivial cases and the ordinary things of this life?

If, one day, God has decided you are worthy to stand in judgment over such weighty matters, why can’t you decide what color the carpet will be? Why can’t you figure out such trivial and silly matters? Why are you being so dim?

4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?

5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers,

6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

Paul’s point become clearer. The courts do not have any insight into the kingdom of God because they don’t acknowledge it, care about it, or value it. Yet, these people in the church feel they are better to give sound and Godly judgment over their issues? Are you kidding? Paul’s snarks at them, “I say this to your shame, much offense intended here,” are you saying that there is no one in the Corinthian church who could have more wisdom than a pagan Roman? You’d rather have that guy be your judge than somebody to knows you both, and has a relationship with Christ, who could shine some light and wisdom on this situation? Paul makes it clear here that Godly wisdom is essential for how we judge situations and without it we are doomed.

this could be a spot where we talk about the decline of the United States legal system and how courts have become seriously a shadow of what they were. I would instead implore you all to make it a habit to pray for our nation and those who serve inside of our government and judicial practices. Its not an easy or satisfying job much of the time. There is brokenness and corruption. Because, the system can only do what it can only do.

As John Adams put it, “Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Why say such a thing? Because the law is only as capable as the people who execute it are moral. Paul’s assumption here is that what is needed is not a legal system or court to settle such matters but a heart that is tied to the wisdom and truth of God. Such a person is already more qualified to speak on such matters because they know that God is the source of morality and wisdom and they seek Him for such things. They aren’t relying on their own abilities but seeking his face for wisdom. Pray with me that God would raise up such prosecutors, judges, and politicians again. That he would bless them with with wisdom and courage to act out in ways that honor God.

But that said, you and I should be encouraged to settle our disputes with one another, under the headship of God and his word. We should be able to approach one another in humility and love, even in disagreement and seek resolution. When we cannot, we should be willing to allow a Christian mediator to come in and give us sound advice and wisdom. There are organizations that exist today whose whole goal is to help Christians figure these things out.

Paul continues...

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!

When you’ve sued your brother in Christ you’ve already lost, no matter what else you gain. I love this statement from Paul because he doesn’t mince words at all. “Why not rather suffer wrong.” Why wouldn’t just just choose to take whatever wrong has been done to you rather than smear you and your brothers name in a pagan court? What is wrong with you?

I was reading through some counseling books a couple weeks back and I came across a list that made me laugh. It was a flow chart for how to solve problems and number 1 on that flow chart said, “Have you considered just getting over it?”

LoL. One of my statements in my house that the girls hate hearing is “Is this a 2 or a 10?” Is this really a hill to die on? Is this the end of the world or do I just feel like it is right now. The boys up at Division of Youth Services put it like this, “will this matter in 5 seconds, 5 minutes, or 5 years.” When somebody disrespects you or says something you didn’t like you ask yourself does this matter in the next 5 seconds, the next 5 minutes, or 5 years. If it feels huge right now perhaps its not really and we should calm down for a minute. Many relationships, even in the church, have been torched in the heat of the moment when a little bit of wisdom and humility would have cooled the whole thing off.

The people in Corinth had let it go into the toxic category and it had ran their reputations and the name of Christ and his church through the mud. In Paul’s assessment, it would have been better to just be defrauded than to solve it how you have chosen too.

Lastly, Paul takes to task the fact that the entire premise for these actions is wrong. While they complain and sue because they feel wronged and mistreated, they do the same thing, inflicting wrong and cheating on them! They’ve not only failed in resisting evil but they are performing it. Paul tips his hat here to exactly what is going on in the lawsuits, which we get into deeper next week in a little bit more spicy detail. Which reminds me: Children’s church will be next week! If that gives you any hints as to the subject but you can also just read ahead. We are going to get into the weeds next week!

Landing

But, as we come to bring all this to a close I think a couple things become clear for us as Christians in the church today.

Conflicts will happen in the church and we must CHOOSE to handle them in a way that reflects Christlikeness.

You are my brothers and sisters and we will disagree. I can tell you more quickly the things me and my sisters agreed on than what we’ve disagreed on over the years. Conflict happens in families and often, inside of our homes, we learn how to handle and manage conflict for the first time. if we learn well we often succeed out of our homes too. If we struggle there we will outside as well. So it is with our homes, how much more is it the case inside God’s house. The old pastor joke goes “leading the church would be a whole lot easier without all the people in it.” With many people come many peoples problems, their opinions, their feelings, their struggles and hurts, and not a one of us has arrived and attained the full measure of sanctification available. We are all messy people who are still works in progress.

Yet, we are all sinners who have been bought by the blood of Jesus and being remade into his image. We can choose to lean into what he’s given us and shown us. We can embrace the forgiveness he’s shown us for our trespasses and pass them onto those who we feel have wronged us. We can choose to give out grace to people who don’t know better, even when they’ve stepped on our feelings. We can choose to set and uphold these examples for one another, choosing reconciliation even when its hard because Christ and his church are worth it.

We are to hold one another to the Word of God which is a higher standard than the Law of the Land.

Thou shalt not kill and not coveting their stuff is all well and good but do you know what goes higher than that?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength. The second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.

The hard truth is that we wouldn’t need the legal system of the United States government if we would just choose to treat one another as the scriptures tells us too. We know that there are many who will never do this so the law exists. However, for those of us inside the church, to choose to settle for lesser laws and commandments is a step down from what God’s called us to do and be. We all heard “you can’t legislate morality” and for sure you can’t. that’s why the Law in the OT didn’t work. Not because it wasn’t good enough but because the people weren’t. Instead, we must be people that, don’t do what God has called us too because its the law or that we “have too”, but because we’ve been saved and remade by Christ and we GET TOO live as he lived. Love as he loved, and become who he’s called us to be. We haven’t been legislated into this change, we’ve been loved into it.

Petty conflicts should be dismissed for the greater good of the Kingdom.

2’s aren’t 10’s and we need to pluck piddly weeds out so they quit infecting the whole garden. I know your feelings have been hurt and mine have too but practice Jesus’ statement from the cross often. “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” Many have trampled the tulips in the front yard running after a Frisbee. It happens and feathers get ruffled. 5 seconds, 5 minutes, 5 years, eternity? In the grand scheme of eternity and God’s redemption, will I care then? If not, it’s okay to let it go and perhaps we should hold our heartaches will less grip than we do the grace and forgiveness God bestows.

Applications for Disciple making

Do you have any conflicts with a person right now that you are handling in a way that doesn’t glorify God? Name it and lets talk about the right way.

How do you handle it when people ruffle your feathers? Outside the church? Inside the church? How did you handle it before Christ? Have you seen it change now that you’ve chosen to follow him?

Have you let 2’s become 10’s? Are there any holdout areas where you’ve harbored resentment, anger, unforgiveness that are still there?